Improved mode of attaching life-preservers to vests



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD L. IIELSON, OF OCALA, FLORIDA.

IMPROVED MODE OF ATTACHING LlF-PRESERVERS TO VESTS.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, RICHARD L. NELSON, of Ocala, in the county of Marion and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Attaching Removable Life-Preservers to Vests and other Garments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, and which represents in perspectivea vest with the lit`e-preserver in place and represented by dotted lines.

I am aware that life-preserving garments of many kinds have been made and used; but in all these the garments were either cumbersome or could not be worn with any degree of comfort or convenience as a part of the wardrobe, and when required in cases of emergency were ditiicult of access. I do not therefore claim any such vestment when the bouyant properties of it are permanently iixed or attached to it.

The nature of my invention consists in providingr a removable life-preserver which admits of the garment being worn with or without it, as occasion may require, but so arranged that the fastenngs of the vestment or garment shall also be the fastenngs of the lfe-preserver, by which means the ordinary vest or other garment may be worn on the person at any or all times with the litepreserver in it.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

There are many objections to the life-preservers in ordinary use. Those that are fastened around the waist ot' the person raise the body so high out of the water as to prevent the free use of the limbs, besides they are liable to be torn ott or reverse their positions; and those which have permanent airchambers in them or cork shavings cannot be worn with any degree of comfort as an every-day article of dress, and from this cause are always to be hunted up when any sudden emergency requires their immediate use. It is to remedy all these objections that I have devised the present plan.

A represents an ordinary vest made in any of the well-known Ways. In the lining ofthe vest and on the back thereof an opening, as at (l, is made, into which, when the wearer is about to travel, is inserted the life-preserver B, (represented in dotted lines,)iwhich may be made of light india-rubber cloth or prepared silk, and which can in a moment be inilated through the tube D. This position of the air-chamber in those portions of the vest usually padded by cotton or other material preserves the shape of the Vest, and the air-chambers when slightly inflated may become the substitute of the padding; besides, this position of the4 bouyant qualities of the garment is just in the proper placeviz., on the chest and around the neck of the wearer-which allows the body to be immersed just sncient to give free use of the limbs. A vest may be prepared Without any additional expense for the reception of the life-preserver and thus the conveniences for wearing and properly securing to the person an available life-preserver is always at hand without the inconvenience of Wearing an unsightly or uncomfortable appendage.

I am aware that applications for Letters 'Patent have been made by IV. C. Pettibcne, and by II. C. Lincoln, assignee of Seth E. Clapp, for vests with air-apartments permanently fixed in them; but these` cannot be worn without the life-preservers, and are consequently no better, it as good, as common life-preservers, and I lay no claim to any such permanent fixtures, my invention consisting, mainly, in the vest to which the air-bags may be connected, so that the vest may at pleasure be worn with or without them, said Vest keeping the air-bags in proper position on the body of the user.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would state that I do not claim making a life-preserving vestment when the buoyant properties thereof are permanently attached or fixed to it; but

That I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The method herein described of arranging a removable life-preserver in a vest or other garment so that it maybe worn with or without. it, and so that the fastenings of the garment shall serve to secure the life-preserver properly to the person, substantially as described.

RICHARD L. NELSON.

Witnesses:

A. B. SToUGHToN, Taos. H. UPPERA'IAN. 

